corny

Etymology 1

From Middle English corny, equivalent to corn + -y. In the "hackneyed" sense, from "corn catalogue jokes", reputedly low-quality jokes that were formerly printed in mail-order seed catalogues.

adj

1. Boring and unoriginal.
   The duct tape and wire was a pretty corny solution.
2. Hackneyed or excessively sentimental.
   The movie was okay, but the love scene was really corny.
   He sent a bouquet of twelve red roses and a card: "Roses are red, Violets are blue, Sugar is sweet, And so are you." How corny is that!
3. (African-American Vernacular, slang) Uncool, stupid, lame.
   Dreya shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "I'm going to bed. Y'all corny." 2010, Nikki Carter, Not A Good Look, page 221
   “You and your silly bitch better give me fifty feet before both y'all corny asses get slam dunked in that pool.” 2014, Niobia Bryant, Never Keeping Secrets, page 69
   Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess 2016, Beyoncé, “Formation”, in Lemonade
   "No, no, no," James said Wednesday (via ESPN). "That's wack. That's wack. Why? You got to earn your spot to be in the postseason. No consolation for finishing last. That's corny. That's corny. That's wack. To play for what? What are they playing for?" 2018-03-21, Des Bieler, “'That's wack': LeBron James doesn't like idea of NBA postseason play-in tournament”, in Washington Post
4. (rare) Containing corn.
   Country Cornbread Muffins (page 290) / Marlene Says: The cool crunchy salad and slightly sweet corny muffins are perfect partners to the creamy, spicy black bean soup. 2012, Marlene Koch, Eat More of What You Love, Running Press
   There are cornbread recipes, and there are cornbread recipes. This one absolutely sings. Based on her daddy’s, and then her sister’s, beloved skillet-made bread, Maggie’s own recipe developed over time. It’s more about method, she says, but using stone-ground cornmeal and whole buttermilk are just as important. And a hot, seasoned cast-iron skillet is a must. What emerges is a rich “corny” bread, an almost melting soft interior encased in a ridiculously toothsome crust. 2014, Nancy Vienneau, The Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook: Recipes and Stories to Celebrate the Bounty of the Moment, Nelson Books, Thomas Nelson, page 180
   “CORNY” BREAD MUFFINS + HONEY BUTTER (GRAIN-, DAIRY-, SOY-, NIGHTSHADE-FREE) Well, making cornbread without corn is kinda tricky, but since corn is indeed a grain, “real” cornbread will not be found here. 2015, Jennifer Robins, Down South Paleo: Delectable Southern Recipes Adapted for Gluten-Free, Paleo Eaters, Page Street Publishing Co., page 139
   Fiesta Corny Muffins / Cornbread goes with everything: salad, soup, and chili. 2016, Stephanie Clarke, Willow Jarosh, Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook, Atria Paperback, page 83
   Have beans, bacon, and cornbread for dinner.[…]Have peas, bacon, and corny bread for dinner. 2019, George O. Wilson, Jr., Osborne Wilson’s Civil War Diaries, Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
5. (obsolete) Producing corn or grain; furnished with grains of corn.
   The corny ear.
6. (obsolete, UK, slang) Tipsy; drunk.
   Yen day when aw was corney. 1850, Joseph Philip Robson, France's Songs of the Bards of the Tyne

Etymology 2

Latin cornu (“horn”).

adj

1. (obsolete) Strong, stiff, or hard, like a horn; resembling horn.